


Of Straw and Steel

by AriMarris



Category: One Piece
Genre: F/M, Female Luffy, Fluff, NSFW, Romance, cuteness, possible porn, pregnancy later on, some almost sex, warning at the beginning of each chapter
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-06-02
Updated: 2015-06-01
Packaged: 2018-04-02 11:06:33
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 16,896
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4057672
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AriMarris/pseuds/AriMarris
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Zoro was always warned of the dangers of falling for the Captain's daughter. He just never imagined the dangers that came with falling for the Captain herself. Oneshot series on people's reaction to the Captain and First Mate's relationship.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Five Times Five

**Author's Note:**

> Warnings: Fem!Luffy, A bit of swearing

"I'm bored."

The whine was drawn out much longer than it should have been, causing the ex-pirate hunter to twitch in annoyance. How he had ended up here, with her, he still wasn't completely sure. Everything that had happened on the base seemed to fly past him in a blur, and yet... He cracked his eyes open just enough to cast her an annoyed look. Her, the rubbery idiot he had somehow come to call captain. Her, who had saved him... although he might not admit that just yet.

She grinned goofily at him upon seeing his eyes open. He quickly shut them, hoping the action would go unnoticed by the girl or that she would quickly forget she ever saw anything.

No such luck.

Then again, he seemed to be running low on luck since he joined this "pirate ship". Really, what pirate ship consists of some girl and a man she just met? A pirate hunter at that. He scoffed under his breath as the sound of snapping rubber filled his ears, and a warm body suddenly pressed against him.

It wasn't the first time in the past few days, so the green-haired swordsman barely reacted to the captain's actions. At least, he convinced himself, the boat had not tipped this time. The violent rocking subsided slowly as she adjusted herself in his lap.

All he wanted was to rest, for his new captain to just give him even a moment of peace and quiet. Of course, he wouldn't be getting that anytime soon.

"Zoro! Zoro! I'm bored!" Luffy cried, her tone much more demanding than he had ever heard it before. He ignored it, letting out a sigh.

"That's your fault," Zoro told her, still not opening his eyes. "You don't have a navigator, so that's why we're lost and sailing aimlessly."

The answer was not what Luffy expected, and he could imagine her expression had turned to one of puffed cheeks and narrowed eyes. He smirked as he felt Luffy lean back. Perhaps, just maybe, she would leave him alone now.

"Well, it's not different than what you were doing before you joined my crew," She said stubbornly. He could almost hear a note of annoyance in her tone, as if she were anyone to talk. "You got lost and had to float around, didn't you?"

"Irk!" Zoro straightened, finally opening his eyes to glare at her. Her tone might have been one of scolding, but her expression was anything but. She sat in his lap, arms crossed across her chest as she watched him with eyes that betrayed her teasing. When she caught his eyes, she gave a whoop of success and he found himself giving in to her whims. "What do you want, anyways?"

"I'm bored," she repeated as though he should know exactly what to do in such a situation. Which wasn't far off... the things she had dragged him into for the last three days... Needless to say, he was definitely looking forward to getting a new crew member. Anyone would be good at this rate, so long as they managed to keep her attention from the poor swordsman.

"What do you want me to do about it?"

"Play a game with me." Luffy puffed out her cheeks again as she made the demand, but this time her bottom lip jutted out into an adorable pout. He groaned, reaching up to tug his bandana down over his eyes. Anyone exposed to a look like that would break within moments, after all.

"There are no games that someone like you could play on a boat this small," he told her sternly, his voice implying that if she tried, there would be consequences without a doubt. Instead of sulking away like she had done in previous attempts, he felt her press closer to him, her hands coming up to push his bandana back. Stubbornly, he kept his eyes closed.

"I know one game! I doesn't take any room. Only two people!" She told him, causing him to crack his eyes open. Curiosity may have killed the cat, but he couldn't help but wonder what the girl had up her sleeve.

"Oh?" He asked, wondering what his chances were of getting her to bugger off after giving in to her whims. To his surprise, she held up her hand right in front of his face.

"It's called five times five! Teenagers in my hometown used to play it, but Makino never let me play it... You have to pick a finger!" When he didn't immediately, she gave him another pout and he found himself pointing at her thumb like, in his opinion, a moron. She grinned, and before he knew what was happening, her lips were against his. Her lips were soft against his, and he felt himself being drawn into the kiss. Just as he leaned forward, she broke away tutting with a grin.

"What the hell kind of game is that?" Zoro sputtered as it seemed to sink in that his captain had just up and kissed him.

"Five times five!" Luffy said, the smile not slipping from her lips. Her... suddenly, very enticing lips. "All the boys and girls used to play it, but Makino wouldn't let me. She said I had to play with someone special."

Zoro seemed to blanch at that. He really should have known better, being her first nakama, but that didn't stop him from asking, "And I'm special?"

"Of course!" She said whilst nodding. The first thought that flickered through the green-haired man's head was how utterly naive she must have been. So when she raised her hand for him to pick another finger, he shook his head.

"This... Makino... Didn't just mean someone special," He told her, grabbing her wrist and guiding it down to her side. Oh, how did he find himself explaining this? He should be napping, not explaining why she shouldn't randomly kiss people. It didn't help that he wanted to kiss her more than ever all of a sudden. "She meant someone you love and want to... be with. You can't just go around kissing anyone, anyways."

Luffy frowned at this explanation, as if not understanding what he was saying.

"But I do love Zoro!" She exclaimed after a moment of exhausting thinking. "Does Zoro not want to kiss me?"

As if he could deny that - from the first moments she had spoken to him, he had been charmed by her. Tomboyish she might have been, but it wasn't her appearance that drew him in anyways. No, he had been taken by storm by the fiery determination that filled her being, the way in which she stood her ground and how her eyes shone with spirit. The same sheer determination, it seemed, that was now working against him. It just felt wrong, kissing his captain while she seemed so innocent and positively naive. "That's not it..."

"Then pick a finger."

Her wrist had somehow escaped his grasp and she lifted it again, her thumb down and waving four fingers enticingly. The look on her face, he realized with a start, was anything but innocent as she waited patiently. He gave a sigh and she grinned in triumph.

Perhaps, he thought as he picked her ring finger and found his lips locked with hers in a much deeper kiss than before, his luck had not run out just yet.


	2. Healing Kisses

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: Fem!Luffy, A bit of swearing

Nami felt guilty.

It was a feelings she wasn't very accustomed to. After so many years are stealing, swindling and manipulating so many people around her, she had long since shaken off any feelings of shame. She did what she had to do, after all. To save her village by buying it back, she had to do so many things. Many of which lowered her, to her disgust, to the level of pirates.

And then that smiling girl had gone and fallen from the sky. Nami should have known, feeling the first of the guilt bubbling in her stomach as she took off, leaving straw hat girl in the dust. It was that sense of guilt that brought her looping around to make sure the girl was okay. The feeling at vanished, or at least resided, as she saw the three unconscious men and the girl brushing off her hat.

Of course she had to be a pirate.

Nami didn't feel guilt again until after Luffy was in the cage, staring at the table of food with her cheeks puffed out in disappointment. Nami had ignored her, ignored the guilt bubbling as she distracted herself with treasure and tangerines and a Cocoyashi village free of Arlong's reign. But before she knew it, a match had been shoved into her hands and the cannonball was loaded and aimed at the cage, the helpless girl.

Nami didn't know what she would have done if the swordsman hadn't appeared when he did. There was no way she could have handled them alone and he just strode in, blocking the on coming blades in a single swift movement. Then the knife, cutting through his shirt and flesh and organs.

Despite the pain he must have been in, he dealt with it. For her. She should have known from the minute she saw him that he would be the type. A stubborn idiot, just like his captain. Really, it didn't surprise her.

What did surprise her was the way in which he looked at his captain. Eyes softening, even through the pain, a smirk coming to his lips. Confidence, she realized. He had confidence in her, even though she was behind bars and practically helpless and surely had no chance in hell of getting out of this...

And then they made it. Risking his own life with such an injury, he carried her out of there, like some type of knock off knight. The entire time, the look never once left his eyes, and Nami saw something she had never before seen in a pirate. Multiple things, really. The loyalty and dedication wasn't really new, but to this level, paired with the complete faith and fondness and love.

She wondered if the straw hat captain saw it too, or even understood it.

Then, in all the action that soon followed, Nami had been too distracted, too lost in the chaos, to think about about the look in the swordsman's eyes or the guilt that continued to plague her.

In fact, it wasn't until hours later, after fighting and fleeing and counting her looted treasure twice over, that the guilt began to bubble up inside her again. With it, her thoughts turned from her treasure to the two pirates that were surely freezing in the evening air. She scowled, rising to her feet unsteadily in the cabin, grabbing a blanket and slung it over her shoulder. The least she could do, after everything today, was offer Luffy at least some protection from the cold. Perhaps it would ease the guilt.

Silently, she made her way for the door, slipping it open.

Immediately, the chilly night breeze nipped at her face, the cold biting into skin. She pulled her own blanket, wrapped around her, tighter, and stepped out. The door closed softly behind her.

"I don't trust her."

She recognized the voice as Zoro's almost immediately and stepped back against the door if only out of habit. The next voice to join was, predictably, Luffy's.

"I like her," the girl said, and Nami imagined her nodding along to her own words. "She's the best navigator so I don't want anyone else. So she'll be our navigator."

The words might've warmed her heart if they didn't make the guilt situation worse. She tried to assure herself, it wasn't her fault no matter what the idiot said. Luffy, just needed to figure out who was trustworthy and who wasn't. She expected the swordsman to argue accordingly, but to her surprise...

"Nothing's gonna change your mind, huh?"

Her jaw dropped at the instant change of tone he took with the captain. Nami's thoughts instantly flicked back to the look in his eyes as he dragged that cage across the town, the sound he had made as the cannonball made contact with her rubber body. Then she fought back a laugh. Captain's orders or not, this guy was whipped. And Luffy, the oblivious moron, probably didn't notice half of it.

"Nope!" Came the captain's carefree answer, laughter in her voice. Nami seemed to regain her bearings at the sound, stepping out from behind the captain to face the small boat attached. What she saw caused her to take a double take.

"Just go back to sleep, dumb ass."

Zoro's back was to her, leaning against the edge of the boat. Despite the coldness of the night, his shirt had been discarded somewhere within the boat. This wasn't what surprised her. The moronic swordsman could catch a death for all she cared. It was the captain's position that prompted the small smile to spread across her face.

The rubbery girl was in Zoro's lap, her chest against his bare one and her head tucked beneath his chin. Absentmindedly, she traced her fingers across his chest with a small smile on her face. Neither of them seemed to notice Nami's presence immediately and she found herself frozen as Luffy pulled back from her comfortable position. There was a small frown on her face.

"Zoro got hurt though... are you really okay to stay up?" There was concern in her voice, a tone Nami had learnt was seemingly rare. Luffy's eyes reflected the uncharacteristic worry, her fingers running across Zoro's chest lightly. Though she could not see them, she imagined Zoro's eyes softening like his voice.

"I'm fine," he assured her, catching her wrist in his grasp and bringing her hand to his lips. It was oddly gentle of the swordsman, but Luffy just smiled and pulled her hand out of his grasp. At first, Nami thought she was about to watch a rejection, then Luffy ducked down and began to kiss Zoro deeply.

Apparently, the girl was no where near as clueless and oblivious as she had previously thought.

The kiss didn't last long, and Luffy broke away. Fearing she had been caught in the action, Nami slunk further back into the shadows. Luffy didn't even pay her any heed, but shifted in the swordsman's lap. She ducked down, and Nami felt her face flame. Watching them kiss was one thing, but his... She shouldn't be seeing... this!

Just as she was about to turn around, Luffy pressed her lips against the wound in Zoro's side. She was gentle, and the man didn't make a sound. She shifted after kissing the bandaged area, slipping back into her previous position with her head tucked into his shoulder. "There," she murmured, her voice muffled by Zoro's neck, "I kissed it better."

Zoro laughed, running his hand through her hair idly. "Go back to sleep, Luffy."

This time, she did as he said, her eyes drooping shut as he spoke. A few moments passed, filled with the sound of the water lapping against the boat, before her soft snores joined in the night. Nami snapped out of it with the sound, taking a step back and planning to go back to the cabin, pretend she hadn't witnesses such an intimate moment.

"Oi, witch."

Nami jumped, before grabbing onto the cabin for support as she nearly toppled into the water. Had he known she was there the whole time? Forcing herself to calm down, she stepped forward again.

"I was just bringing Luffy a blanket, but you guys owe me for this!" She said quickly, before he could get a word in edgewise. She threw the blanket at them and then storming off, slamming the door of the cabin behind her. She collapsed onto the small bed, trying to calm her erratic heart as all the pieces suddenly fell together.

After seeing what she did, the love and affection and utter trust between the two, Nami felt her heart warm. Although Zoro was obviously special, Nami could sense that Luffy cared deeply for anyone she considered a friend. In another life, a different reality, she wouldn't have minded sailing under Luffy.

Perhaps, just maybe, after she paid off Cocoyashi village, she would get a chance to sail with them in this life.


	3. Jealousy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: Nakamaship? This chapter is pretty innocent!

Joining this crew, Usopp decided early on in their adventure, may have been on the craziest, stupidest, greatest choice he had ever made.

After all, if he, Captain Usopp, were to sail under anyone... it would definitely be the absolutely insane woman that stood before him. She didn't seem like much in appearance. A straw hat sitting atop a wild mane of short black hair, a childish face with wide eyes... She wasn't extraordinarily womanly like Nami, nor gentle like Kaya. In fact, she was nothing like any woman he had ever met.

Then, he had never met anyone quite like her, either.

Luffy was, without a doubt, mad. A pirate who sailed with a pirate hunter and a thief who steals from pirates? Something in this equation wasn't adding up properly. Nonetheless, from the moment he had stepped on the ship, he had felt... lighter. Happier, more at home. It was as if, after so long, he had found his family again.

The Usopp pirates and Kaya would always hold a place in his heart; the whole of Syrup Village did, but these pirates... They filled something inside him. He found he didn't mind the idea of sailing under another. He had never even considered it before. Although the word didn't suit her at all, in his opinion, it was far to easy for the word to roll off his tongue.

Captain.

As if the girl senses his thoughts, she waved her hand in front of his eyes. "Usopp? You okay?"

He absentmindedly remembered they were supposed to be playing hide and seek and he was it. How long had he been counting? It took him a moment to separate his thoughts and draw himself back into reality.

"Of course! Captain Usopp was just preparing to unleash his secret weapons!" Usopp improvised, withdrawing his slingshot and successfully distracting his captain. Her eyes lit up and she rocked back and forth in excitement as she waited for the big reveal. He grinned at her, pulling out a few explosive stars that managed to wow the straw hatted girl. It was as they exploded in a bunch of sparks that Usopp felt the sudden chill run down his spine. He turned slowly, gulping when he saw the swordsman glaring at them. Hadn't the man been sleeping only moments ago? He turned back, wondering what could be the cause for this sudden animosity.

Perhaps the green haired man had realized his strength and power? That he, (vice) captain Usopp would soon easily overturn his position as first mate? He quickly shooed the thought away as fear began to trickle through his being.

Maybe the pirate hunter had been planning this from the beginning? To wait until they showed a moment of weakness, then swipe in for the kill... He took a deep breath, turning to Luffy. He would be brave! He would make sure, no matter what, that they were safe! After all, it was his duty to protect his captain, or at least warn her of danger.

"Luffy..."

Luffy was still distracted by the sparks of fire as the flickered and died, falling as nothing more than ashes. Seeing the last of the 'mystery sparks' fade out, she drew her eyes back to him. She clearly wanted to see more of his amazing arsenal, but he bit back more boasting and pride. Her life was, after all, of ultimate importance.

"Yeah?" She questioned, tilting her head slightly. He was about to warn her, really, when something seemed to catch her attention. She gum-gum launched herself towards the kitchen. With the snapping of rubber, and the slamming of the door, Usopp found himself completely alone.

Well, not completely... He turned, dreading what may very well be the last sight he saw. Only to find, much to his surprise, he was actually alone. Zoro had disappeared along with the captain.

Fear immediately seized him. What awful things would the pirate hunter being doing now? Had he attacked her? With a burst of courage, Usopp made a dash for the door Luffy had vanished behind. Only a few feet from, however, Usopp's feet went cold and he came to an abrupt stop as he heard a scream.

"I wouldn't go in there, if I were you." He turned quickly to see Nami standing there, looking downright annoyed. She stretched and yawned as though she had woken up from a very needed nap. She turned to glare at the kitchen. "I haven't gotten a proper sleep in days because of them."

Usopp gave her a puzzled look, before asking dumbly, "Luffy's not in trouble?"

"In trouble?" She questioned, fixing her shirt absentmindedly and plucking something off.

"Zoro was - give us these scary looks? He...?"

Nami looked confused, before bursting into laughter. She pointed at the door, screams still echoing from it. "Listen."

"But-!"

"Listen," she said again, this time demanding. Usopp fell silent, enough for the two voices to be heard through the wood.

"Zoro! Stop - tickling - me!" The words came out choked by screams and, Usopp confirmed with sudden realization, laughter. "Cap - Captain's - orders!" The laughter came to a sudden stop, along with the screams. Luffy's voice, now much quieter, reprimanded, "Don't be mean to Usopp! I think you scared him!"

Usopp frowned at that. Him, scared? He was a brave warrior of the sea, why would he be- okay, perhaps he was. Just a little, though.

Zoro said something, much too quiet to carry through the door, and Usopp stepped forward without thinking. Luffy's laugh floated through again, this time genuine and... cute.

"Were you jealous?" Luffy asked, her voice teasing. Zoro didn't answer, but the next sound he made all but confirmed it. Usopp's face went up in flames and he backed away quickly, against the railing. Nami was trying to hold in her laughter as she watched his face.

"Those two really don't care what you walk in on, so you have to be careful!" Nami said, turning to him with a thoughtful look as she managed to compose herself. "I had to learn myself so consider yourself lucky I was hear to give you a warning!"

Usopp managed to calm himself after a few breaths. He shouldn't have been as surprised as he was, anyway. He had seen the way Zoro eyed the captain. He had just misinterpreted it. After a moment, Usopp smiled. "Oh... In that case, thanks a-!"

"That'll just be 2000 beri," Nami said, a smirk pulling at her lips as she held out her hand expectantly. "Lifesaving information isn't free."

Usopp made a choked sound at the price, and then another at the reasoning. He really had joined the craziest band of misfits.

He, it just so happened, fit right in.


	4. Show Off (Part I)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: Slight mentions of sexual stuff. Not anything explicit.

From the moment he saw her, he knew it would be impossible to tell her no.

He already was rendered unable to say no to women, but her? She was a complete cutie-chan, after all. It was hard to believe - in fact, he refused to believe - that she was the reason for the large hole in the middle of the Baratie. Whether it was her fault or not, he was more than happy that the blame was placed on her.

Not that he condoned accusing such a girl of felony! Such a sweet, innocent young girl? Being accused of such a crime - it was outrageous! He had been angry at the old man for doing such a thing, of course! It was only that it didn't take long for his anger to fade once he saw her.

Once he saw her, or rather, what she was wearing, it didn't take long for the anger to dissipate. Maybe, just possibly, the old man was doing him a favour.

In the chore girl outfit, the girl looked entirely different from the rumours the cooks had sent bouncing around the kitchen. No, she was beautiful, gorgeous, perfect! He immediately felt conflicted. It would be awful to make a girl of such serene beauty work, but all the same... He wouldn't mind seeing her around for the next few months, really. Especially if she continued to wear that.

Upon his first sighting of her, she was chatting with a small group of people. Friends of hers, perhaps? That couldn't be - why would a lady like her hand out with such uncouth- he froze upon seeing the second woman and he felt as though his heart may implode.

He danced over to the two, of course, coating his love-struck words with promises of his eternal affection for them. Compliments weaved their way into his speech as he worked his charm, and presented each of the lovely ladies with a rose.

He paid no heed to the two men with them, not noticing the glower the swordsman of the group gave him.

Luffy-chwan and Nami-Swan, he learnt, and committed them to memory. Luffy-chwan asked for food.

How could he tell her no?

He hated the way her face fell when he turned his attention from her to the starving man, but what could he do? He was a cook, it was his job to feed the hungry. Surely, his angelic Luffy-chwan could hold out just a little longer?

He still hadn't noticed the glare that the Moss Head continued to shoot at him.

Later, when the pirates showed and decided they wanted the ship, Sanji had knelt down on one knee, pleading her to not worry, assuring her he would come back to his black haired princess alive. Luffy-chwan had laughed, standing next to the idiot moss head and watched as he leapt into battle

Then that swordsman had arrived - Dracule Mihawk, Luffy-chwan's swordsman confirmed - and Sanji had been by her side. She was panicked. The beautiful Nami-swan had taken off with their ship. Surely, Sanji believed, she had a good reason. A noble intention, without a doubt.

Above that, the idiot Luffy-chwan had put her trust in had stepped forward. He, next to the young captain, felt her stiffen. Together they watched as the swordsman fought, and fought again. It made no difference. Sanji scowled as the man stood, so willing to have his life thrown away. Did Luffy-chwan's feelings mean nothing to the knuckle-brained moron?

When the man fell into the water, Sanji turned to grab her, but she was already gone.

So he watched. Her eyes lit with renewed fire he had never before seen in a woman. Of anger and despair, anguish and pain. And fury. She threw herself at the world renowned swordsman with a fury in her eyes that made his blood run cold, made him freeze in place and fall silent though he wanted nothing more than to pull her back and protect her.

The swordsman survived, unfortunately. Sanji wanted to be happy, if only for his Luffy-chwan, but the swordsman had been an idiot in the first place.

"Luffy!" The swordsman's voice cracked with emotion and was followed by the sound of choking on the blood and bile that rose in his throat. Sanji scowled, wondering how he dared address anyone, let alone his captain, in such a way. "I'll... I'll never lose again! I'll become... the world's best swordsman!"

Sanji's eyes, never having left the now-dishevelled lady captain, watched as her eyes softened, her lips turning up into a smile sweet as icing on a cake. A fondness filled her voice as she agreed, lightly reprimanding him in an almost teasing way, as though he had not almost met death for honour.

Later, he watched his dark haired princess take out one of the most feared pirates in the East Blue. When she was thrown beneath the angry waves, he hadn't hesitated a second to dive beneath and pull her up.

He found himself telling a woman 'no' for the first time after that. Become a pirate? For her, he would sail to the ends of the earth and back. Leave the Baratie? His debt was far too great for that.

It didn't take her long to sweep him up into her adventure anyways. As it turned out, he really couldn't tell her no, no matter how hard he tried.

And he truly was swept into an adventure. From the moment he decided to sail with her, he hadn't had a moment to truly breathe. It didn't matter though. For the rest of his days, he would happily sail with his Captain-chwan and Nami-swan. In fact, if it weren't for the suicidal swordsman, his life would be perfect right about now. Usopp, he could tolerate. In fact, he had quite agreeable company for a guy. Zoro on the other hand, was unbearable.

He had already seen how attached Zoro was to Luffy, his willingness to the Captain. Needless to say, it may have struck him with a small amount of jealousy... So, after the fall of Arlong, Sanji made the perfect plan to show just how superior he was to the moron.

Dishes and dishes of food were spread across tables set out by the villagers. The aroma of the feast filled the air, completing the light and carefree air of the village. Music floated around as people danced and drank and simply celebrated their freedom. And yet, the straw hat captain was no where in sight.

Sanji frowned, scanning the crowds of people. After such a battle, there couldn't be anything holding her back from a feast like this, could there? He shifted through the crowds, ignoring the compliments and praise (unless it was from a pretty young woman, in which he took a moment to declare his love for them) until he found a certain liar.

"Where's Luffy-chwan?" Sanji asked, practically singing as he thought about his pretty captain. The sniper glanced up at Sanji, pausing in his story to think back.

"Luffy?" Sanji resisted the urge to send the man a kick for referring to her so casually. "I think she at the infirmary."

"Infirmary?" Sanji questioned, his anger dissipating to be replaced with confusion. From what he had heard, only Zoro was in bad enough condition to have to stay there... "Huh."

He wandered off, and Usopp simply shrugged. He turned back to his fans, instantly launching back into his story of the defeat of Arlong. Sanji rolled his eyes, the excited sounds Usopp made fading into the background as he mad his way for the infirmary.

The village was small and it only took him a few moments to find it. The doctor sat outside, cradling a bottle of sake as he watched the festivities. Either the man didn't notice him or didn't mind his presence, but he easily slipped into the infirmary. Mistake number one. The sight that met him, however, was not what he was expecting.

"Zoro~!" Luffy moaned contently, rocking her hips slowly against his. She, her face hovering inches over that of the swordsman's, was practically glowing with pleasure. So much, in fact, she hadn't even noticed the cook's sudden appearance. She moaned again, causing heat to creep through Sanji's face and... other areas.

Zoro was... Zoro was... defiling his beautiful captain, stealing away her innocence! He found himself unable to respond to what he was seeing, however, except to stumble backwards. It made the second mistake as he accidentally sent something clanging to the ground, effectively drawing both pirates' attention.

Zoro was the first to see him, instantly pulling the blankets up to cover them modestly. He was glaring, and if looks could kill, it wouldn't matter if Sanji had a hundred lives. He'd be dead in all of them.

Luffy had no such reserves, sitting up slightly to grin and wave at him. The action caused the blanket to fall back, revealing her bare chest to him. Despite the consequences, the thoughts that followed could not be stop and he felt a sudden rush of blood flow from his nose. Zoro quickly tugged the blanket back protectively, but it was far too late.

"Marimo... a-and... Lu-Luffy-chwan? You are...?"

XoXoXoX

When he woke up the next morning, Sanji was on one of the infirmary beds. Consequently, the cook had lost far more blood than was safe through means of a nosebleed, and had actually fallen unconscious.

When he attempted to recall what exactly had happened, he found he could not remember, try as he might. Though, from the looks the swordsman was giving him, it might be better that he didn't know.

"Sanji! Sanji!" The rubber girl bounced over to them, beaming toothily at him. "Make me a feast like the one you made before!"

What feast? Though he tried, he could not recall anything that had happened that night. Perhaps he really had been too exhausted from the fight...

"Of course, Luffy-chwan~!" He agreed eagerly. After all, who was he to say no to his captain?


	5. Reasons

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chapter Warnings: Maybe OOC? Lemme know if it is, please? Here's Tashigi's.

Tashigi wanted to scream, wanted to laugh. She did laugh, though it might have sounded half crazed.

She knew, from the moment she heard that Roronoa was here, that something bad was surely going to happen.

Still, she went about her day in the usual fashion. Perhaps she had lowered her guard too much. She had allowed herself to become distracted, had forgot her goal. It was hard not to, though.

The strange, three sword wielding man's show had rendered her speechless. She had thought she had doomed him in that moment, urged him towards what would definitely be his end. Then the blade, cursed as it might be, had fallen. It moved so quickly, surely... surely, he would lose his arm? Or worse?

But he hadn't. The sword passed, rolling past his skin and instead targeting the soft wood of the floor. Inch by inch it slid in, and Tashigi dropped to her knees in awe. This man, brash and rude as he might be, was something.

What he was, she's didn't know. But he was out of her league and surprisingly, she felt no need to rip the precious swords away from him.

It took her ages to collect herself, slowly lifting herself from the shop's floor. By then, the man had already disappeared with his two new swords. Tashigi spent a moment to calm herself before retrieving her sword and paying the store owner.

She imagined after two chance meetings, there was no way a third could possibly happen. She wasn't sure if she even wanted to meet him a third time.

Maybe it was fate, playing games and tricks and forcing them into yet another meeting.

She barely paid attention, she would admit, to the she-pirate's execution. It wasn't important to her, not at the time. Not when he stood nearby, grinning as he sliced down opponents without hesitation. She felt fury boil within her. Not only at him, but at herself for being such a fool.

He was the only person she had ever heard of that dared use three swords in such a way. How had she not known, not recognized him? She had been so distracted, so awed, she let the thought slip through her fingers before she dared entertain it. How could someone so talented be so evil? The two simply didn't click, didn't equate in her mind.

Then she had watched him as the captain, grinning as she was, declared her own she saw was not what she had expected. He was not angry, his face was not twisted into an evil leer as he watched his captain's head roll. He looked scared.

Tashigi found, even as Smoker barked an order at her, she could not pull her eyes away from the pirate hunter gone pirate.

His face was pale - so pale - as he stared at the platform, knowing it was too late to save the straw hat pirate. That didn't stop him from charging forward, yelling her name in an anguished cry as he began to slice blindly, barely paying any attention to his opponents and staring at her, only her.

Tashigi had seen the look before. Many people had worn it, watching as their loved ones were ripped away from them by the cruelty of the world. It was what hurt the most about being in the marines. Casualties were not uncommon and Tashigi was aware of this fact. She accepted it as necessary for justice. Delivering the news to the families, however, was much more difficult. It was also what she fought for, so that many didn't have to watch their families be torn apart.

But she had, until this day, never seen it on a pirate.

She found herself unable to move, even as Luffy climbed to her feet, completely unharmed. It was a miracle, but after what she had seen today...

She watched as the three pirates escaped the square, twisting through the streets and disappearing.

"Tashigi!" Smoker had finally yelled, snapping her out of her thoughts and awe. She stumbled, before straightening and saluting her commander.

"I'll go after them!"

She had not thought defeat to be an option at that point.

Swords had met in a way that was second nature to her at first. He met each blow with a defence of his own, his grin only growing as she became more desperate. The second sword came into the fight and she knew she was no match for him.

Defeat had hurt, stung her pride far deeper than she dare to admit.

"I can never lose this katana... No matter what. " He had told her, and she knew it was more than just a weapon to him. He cherished it. Then his face had cleared back into a blank, unreadable slate. He had walked away, leaving her to wallow in defeat. Leaving her alive.

"Why didn't you kill me!?" She shouted after him, ignoring the fear inside her. No, it was quickly replaced with rage that decided to boil over at that moment. "Is is because I'm a woman!?"

He had stopped, listened as she ranted. He listened to her speak her mind, scorn him for not knowing the struggle of women who pursue swordsmanship. Again, his reaction had surprised him as he turned on her.

"I can't even stand the fact you exist!" He shouted, and the words stung for reasons she did not know. "Listen! That face of yours... It's exactly like an old friend of mine who died. And now you're even saying the stuff she did! Stop imitating her, you copy-cat woman!"

"What? What a childish, rude thing to say!" Tashigi argued. "I don't know what kind of person your friend was, but I'm the one who regrets this! I will take those swords from you, Roronoa Zoro."

The man stepped back, still glaring at her.

"Tck. I need these swords to fulfill the promise I made," Zoro said, and she noticed how he grasped the beautiful white handled blade. The words took Tashigi of guard and she stumbled away from him, trying to reach for her blade. "I will succeed in my goal and until that day, protect my captain with these swords. You won't take them away."

Tashigi froze only mere inches from her blade as she reached for it. Zoro didn't hesitate to take off after that, leaving her alone with her confusion.

Never before had she met someone who infuriated her so much. Such a noble goal... he couldn't possibly be being honest. That's what pirates did after all. They lied and cheated and yet... The look he had given his captain as she had nearly faced death...

She had no doubt that he very well would go to the ends of the world to protect Luffy.

She frowned. As much as she loathed it, she knew those swords were in good hands. The man who carried them fought for reasons beyond wealth, fame and selfish greed. He cherished the swords and fought for what ever pirate fought for - his treasure.

The realization struck her deep inside. To Roronoa Zoro, Monkey D. Luffy was more than a captain...

And she laughed.


	6. Innocence

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: Innocence, c'mon. Vivi's!

Vivi was, in many ways, innocent.

Through the last few years of her life, she had seen and felt many things. The drought had brought pain and suffering to each and every citizen. She, the princess of the land, carried the weight of this burden on her shoulders each and every day. As things had grown steadily worse, she knew she had to do something, anything, to free her people.

She was crazy, mad, insane, but she managed to infiltrate Baroque Works.

From then only it had only gotten worse. If she had felt helpless before, it was only furthered as she worked and worked and got no where. When she got upgraded to a numbered agent, she had been filled with relief. It was a start, she has assured herself as a renewed hope grew within her.

After that, things got bloody. Being a numbered agent, having to play a part that wasn't her, hurt more than anything yet. The thought of her people kept her fighting, kept her from fleeing the mission as she watched pirates and civilians alike being slain by the cruelty of Baroque Works.

Then she, bright as the sun with her never ending optimism, had walked into her life. She hadn't know at that moment that Luffy would save her and what was her entire world. The girl was only a year older than herself, it was hard to believe that she would have the power to take down a shichibukai. And why would she want to? Vivi meant nothing to her at the time.

They became friends, nakama, sisters, family, whatever you wanted to call it. To Luffy, it didn't really need a name.

Luffy was, in her own way, just as innocent as Vivi. Vivi knew this.

Her eyes, bright with the prospect of adventure and grinning and the endless possibility of a day, shone with an innocent and purity that Vivi did not imagine could be found in someone that was capable of what Luffy had shown herself capable of.

She soon learnt, however, that Luffy was innocent in very, very different ways. Perhaps innocent wasn't even the word for it. Naive, maybe?

She would have never imagined it, really.

Sure, Zoro was, without a doubt, endlessly loyal to his captain. Anyone could see it in the way he looked at her, the way he carried himself. He was proud, though he might not admit it, to sail under her. The swordsman would risk everything and anything for her.

At first, Luffy had seemed too irresponsible to carry the same burden. Carefree and wild as she was, there were very few things she concerned herself with. Vivi hadn't realized it at first, but soon came to the realization that Luffy would stop at nothing to protect every member of her family.

Vivi remembered clearly the anger she felt at the straw hat captain prior to seeing this. Everyday, she fought for her kingdom, for everyone's lives. This pirate did nothing more than bound around and take life for granted. Or so she thought, until Nami fell ill. It was clear that no matter what anyone said, finding a doctor was their top priority. When Luffy had fallen to her knees beside her, pleading instead of choosing to fight, Vivi had felt fondness swell within her for the first time.

Time and time again, Luffy had proven just how much her family meant to her. Usopp, Sanji, Nami, Chopper, Zoro... even herself. A princess and royalty by birth did not belong amongst the crowd, but she found herself feeling at home on the small sailing ship.

But no - the secret looks, the quiet whispers behind her back, Luffy's reckless sacrifices - none of them could prepare the oblivious princess for the truth behind the relationship of the captain and first mate.

Everything had been going fine since Luffy woke up, or so she had thought. Luffy, as though she had not slept three days and should still be recovering, was as energetic as ever. At dinner, she didn't cease to amaze anyone with her stomach either.

Uncharacteristically, the girl had sat calmly through the bath, until the boys had attempted to sneak a peek. With a huge grin, Luffy's calm demeanour slipped away and she jumped to her feet. She waved enthusiastically and called to them, managing to give them more than an eyeful as the towel dropped.

They cried out as they fell backwards and Luffy stared at the wall with confusion. Vivi giggled again, summoning the pirate back so that she could rinse out her hair. The captain complied, staring at the wall with a frown. Vivi was struck again by the captain's apparent innocence as Nami lost it, yelling at the boys before informing them that this time, they'd get away with it - if they paid up the hefty price.

Luffy left the bath early, leaving Vivi and Nami to chat until they were finished bathing. Neither knew why exactly the captain had taken off so soon, but Nami had bets that she was off to find more food.

Perhaps that had been her original goal but as Nami and Vivi exited the bathes to enter the small but regal hallway, they found that she had been... distracted.

Luffy was pushed against the wall, her legs wrapped around Zoro's waist and holding tight. One arm looped around his neck, the other hand buried in his still-wet hair. His own hands were splayed across her hips, pushing her shirt up as he kissed her deeply.

There was no one else in sight, and Vivi was quite sure the two were much to caught up in each other to have even notices her and Nami. Nami grabbed her arm, urging her down the hall so that they remained unnoticed. Vivi, still in shock, felt her face heating rapidly as she was pulled away.

"He... what? But, she...?" Vivi muttered once they were out of the hall. Nami simply rolled her eyes, casting the hall they had come from a dark glower.

"Honestly, those two!" She exclaimed, bringing her arms across her chest as she scowled. "They have no decency."

Vivi managed to recollect herself at that, shaking any other thoughts from her head. Although she did not doubt the crews loyalty to Luffy, she now understood the soft whispers and hidden touches between the two. The two, beyond the bond of the crew, shared something completely unique and beautiful.

"Oh, leave them," Vivi said calmly, leading Nami towards the quarters the crew was residing in. "What harm can they do?"

"More than you think."

That was when Vivi realized that the captain was not, as she thought before, so innocent.


	7. Rules

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chapter Warnings: Boobies, I guess. And Protective!Ace. Minorly sexual

If it was not already glaringly obvious, Ace was not one for following the rules.

It did not matter who set these rules before him. As a child, he had gone against any order given to him without hesitation. Whether it come from Sabo, Dadan or even Garp, he would fail to follow through with any sort of demand.

With this attitude, following rules became something that Ace was certainly not accustomed to. Not that, in many situations, there had been rules to follow in the first place.

When he had joined the Whitebeard Pirates, who generally followed the pirate's code, nothing much had changed. He had been rebellious, striking down anything the old man told him and instead opting for his own decisions. This hadn't last long. As he loyalty to the pirate grew, so did his obedience.

However, even then, only those higher up, Marco and Whitebeard himself, had any control over this. It went against everything he had become to disobey Whitebeard and go after Teach, but it was something that had to be done.

Ace hadn't changed all that much, after all. And honesty? Neither had Luffy.

If Ace knew one thing about his sister, it was that no one - not even him - could tell her what she could and could not do. She was far more stubborn than he, and even less likely to listen to the "rules". But god be damned if he could resist anything she asked of him. The overprotective brother was, in short, completely whipped.

Ace remembered what he had told her before he left to make his way as a pirate.

"Don't go stirring up too much trouble," he had told her, knowing for certain she wouldn't listen to him even if he had told her otherwise. "Stay safe, train hard, don't get yourself killed..."

The outrageous list of demands had gone on and on until she yelled at him to shut up. She had laughed and claimed she would be fine, that there was nothing for the overprotective brother to worry about.

The thought was laughable. Ace not worry?

From the moment he left, he had been filled with an overwhelming worry. Who in their right minds would leave their fourteen year old sister alone with a family of bandits and no one else? She had always depended on him, after all. What if she got eaten? Or hurt, with no way back? Heaven forbid she didn't have enough food to make it through the day?

The worries had faded as time passed. He constantly reassured himself that she would be fine. After all, she had survived seven years before he walked into her life - or rather, her into his. Dadan wouldn't let the brat go without food - he knew the bandit cared somewhere deep inside.

So his worries calmed - until her sixteenth birthday hit.

He had been sitting calmly on the deck of the Moby Dick, listening to the chatter of the crewmates. He had only been there for a few weeks and was still more than a little rebellious. Marco continued to keep a close eye on him. He flipped through the paper idly in his lap until he grew bored and let it fall closed. He had caught sight of the date.

He remembered the horror he felt. After all, she was sixteen and alone.

At least, if he was lucky, she was alone. Who knew what his adorable little sister had turned into during his absence? It had been two years - plenty of time for changing and... His face had turned red, both from embarrassment and anger, which had only prompted Marco to ask what the hell he was thinking.

"My sister!" He had exclaimed. "God knows what kind of pervy, lecherous, disgusting man could be taking advantage of her!"

Marco had, after getting over the shock of the announcement, laughed.

A year and a half later, however, Ace realized he had plenty to worry about.

Not only had his sister turned into a beautiful, headstrong and powerful young lady... but most of her crew were guys! He hadn't known this at first, nor had he even thought about the chances. He had only seen her bounty and known he had to see her once again.

He hadn't even expected the crew to be a majority of men, but it instantly ticked him off. Not that he had shown it. Oh no, he had learnt too much from Makino to be outwardly rude. He was the epitome of politeness. The crew responded with an equivalently warm welcome.

After a few hours with the crew, he had grown a definite dislike for one man.

Sanji.

Luffy was oblivious, without a doubt. Ace did not worry about her, but rather, who forced them onto her.

Chopper was a reindeer, so really, just no. Nami, another woman, was nothing to worry about in the least. Usopp? The kid had no hesitation to show off but it would take more than that to win Luffy over. Zoro was quiet and protective, and Ace instantly approved of him.

But the cook? He had to go. Not only was a flirty womanizing pervert, who wouldn't hesitate to take advantage of his unbelievably innocent sister, but he was also a cook. It was dangerous ground, since Luffy loved food above all else. Imagine what the pervert could coerce Luffy into doing with the promise of food - Ace didn't dare think about it, but kept his eyes trained closely on Sanji the entire journey.

"Luffy, do you really think-?"

It was the swordsman's words that woke Ace that night. It was his last night with the crew before he continued on his journey. Zoro, being exactly what every first mate should be, opted for watch. Ace knew Luffy trusted this man and after seeing the dedication the guy had to his sister, he had no doubt that he was worth of said trust.

But now...

Ace sat up in the pitched tent, letting out a quiet yawn in the night.

"It's fine!" Luffy chirped after a moment, causing Ace to wonder what exactly the two were talking about. "Everyone is asleep."

That got his attention, and he found himself edging for the exit of the tent. He slipped out nearly silently as the pirates' words floated through the chilly night air.

"Really? Because I really don't fancy getting burnt to a crisp tonight."

"Ace won't hurt you, I think."

"Have you seen the way he's been looking at Sanji? Tck."

"Hehe! I don't know why he has been. Maybe Sanji made something he didn't like for dinner! But Ace usually likes all food..."

"You're an idiot."

"C'mooon! It'll be fine."

"Then be quiet."

Luffy's childish giggle met his ears as he crept forward. That was, until it was cut off by a low and pleasured moan. They were by the glowing remains of a fire, just behind Ace's tent. He wasn't one for stealth, but he hadn't been caught so far. It wouldn't last long though, once he caught sight of Zoro and Luffy.

Luffy's back was to him, and he was at the perfect angle to see Zoro's face.

That is, if they weren't currently buried in Luffy's bare chest. As it was, Luffy's vest had long been discarded despite the chilly bite of the night, her hands tangled in Zoro's hair as he pressed slow kisses against her breasts. Luffy herself was letting out breathy sighs, pressing her hips down against Zoro's as she fought to control herself.

Ace couldn't help the fire that sparked at the sight. It was an angry spark, setting fire to his hand, and quickly, his entire arm. If the sudden rush of heat and brightness in the night didn't alert them of his presence, the angry stomps forward certainly did.

Luffy turned, looking up at him with a falsely innocent and shocked expression. Zoro glanced up at Ace over her shoulder, and even now, Ace could see the fear.

"A-Ace?" Luffy scrambled to her feet, completely ignoring her semi-clothed status and held up her arms defensively. "I thought you were sleeping!"

Ace ignored his sister, only stepping forward with his eyes locked on the swordsman. He had been wrong, he thought with a start. He had been so sure... He had approved of the swordsman. But now?

"You've defiled my sister?" He didn't even give Zoro a chance to respond, reaching out and grabbing the collar of Zoro's shirt. His other hand was still a deadly ball of fire and the first mate knew it.

"Oi! Ace! Stop it!" And damn it all, the roaring flames quelled to a gentle flickering of embers as she spoke. "You can't hurt Zoro!"

"He defiled you!"

Luffy scowled, and he felt guilt stab him inside. "I let him and I liked it! Don't touch him!"

The fire roared again at her words before dying completely, his hand returning as though nothing had ever happened. Ace let out a heavy sigh. "Fine."

But he didn't let go of Zoro. Instead, he chose to drag him away from the campsite. Luffy let out an annoyed 'hmph' from behind them, but he paid it no heed as he dragged the terrified swordsman off. When he was a good distance away, he finally turned on Zoro with a new fire in his eyes.

"I'll be damned if that girl ever listens to me," Ace growled, dropping the man to the sand. Zoro looked up at him, appearing determined and ready to fight, albeit being slightly scared. "But if you know what's good for you..."

Zoro's hand made for his sword, clearly expecting either a fight or a warning.

"If you'll be dating my sister, I have to lay down some rules."


	8. Show Off (Part II)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chapter Warnings: Boobies, I guess. And Protective!Ace. Minorly sexual.

"... Lay down some rules..."

Sanji woke in the night, in the tent he shared with Usopp and Chopper, to the sound of Ace's more than ticked voice. Groggily, he forced himself into a sitting position and wondered what exactly had pissed Ace off this time.

He liked the man - he had too. Ace was Luffy's brother, and he was nothing but polite. But at times... The man seemed to have it out for him, and Sanji hadn't a single clue as to why. He already had enough burns on his hand, thanks to the man.

Accidents, he had claimed. Sanji said nothing. What good would it do to fight with his beautiful Luffy-chwan's brother? Though, since the fourth burn, he had definitely toned down the praises he tended to shower Luffy-chwan with. The man had seemed at least a little calmer after that.

So when he heard Ace's not-so-quiet hiss, he was more than hesitant to go around seeing what exactly was up.

"Firstly, you will not kiss my sister," Ace growled, catching Sanji's attention. "Secondly, you will not defile my sister in such a horrendous way."

A second voice, tinged slightly by fear in a way that hindered the usual cockiness, spoke up, "I'd say she was the one doing the defiling, if you ask me."

There was a very unmanly yelp from outside, and Sanji, in his half awake stupor, pitied the poor fool who had dared lay a finger on Luffy, let alone speak back to Ace about it.

Wait.

Sanji bolted upright, suddenly wide awake. Luffy had been defiled? By who? Sanji felt anger spark through him. Who dared to lay a finger on his precious captain?

Without hesitation, he burst out of his tent. He would do what the shitty swordsman clearly failed to do. He would protect his captain from any threat! Even if it cost him his life, he would protect her!

He slid into stance just outside the tent, completely defensive. But he wasn't the only one. He was closely followed by Usopp and Chopper, awakened by his sudden movements, and Nami-swan was already awake and outside. He hoped that Vivi-chan was okay.

Sanji looked around for whoever dared to hurt his captain, only to find himself face to face with a defiant looking Zoro having a stare down with an overprotective Ace.

Ace continued on as though the entire crew were not watching, "You know what? Actually, don't touch her at all. I don't care what she says, you will not touch her. Don't think of her inappropriately. You are her first mate and that's it!"

Sanji watched as fire flickered on Ace's fingertips, and he wanted to laugh at the fear in Zoro's eyes. He found her couldn't, as he understood that fear all too well himself.

"Ace! Stop that!" Luffy yelled, stomping up to the two of them almost angrily, and throwing herself in between them. Sanji was still far to distracted by Ace to notice anything, as both Zoro and Luffy's backs were to him. Usopp and the girls, however, let out little shrieks as they noticed Luffy's state of undress.

Sanji's attention was stolen again, as he watched Usopp stumble backwards and just curl up in the tent, dragging Chopper along and muttering something about his "innocence" and "valuing his life". The night grew brighter and suddenly, Ace's whole fist was on fire. But when Sanji looked up, the new anger was no longer directed to Zoro, but to himself.

"And you!" Ace continued as though his little sister was not jumping in front of him, trying to draw his attention from the two men. "Stop flirting with her! If you even think of her the wrong way-!"

And he was off on a rampage of the many things he would - and was one hundred percent capable of doing - do, should Sanji ever try to "coerce" his sister into his "degrading" and "perverted" fantasies. Honestly, him? Ever do something like that to Luffy-chwan? Was her brother mad?

"Ace-san," He said after a moment, when Ace finally stopped to catch his breath. "What are you talking about?"

This only proved to infuriate the man more, and he all but went up in flames. He was calmed almost instantly by a sharp demand from Luffy as she put herself firmly in between them. It was then that Sanji took full stock of the situation, as well as getting a complete eyeful when Luffy turned to face him with a small frown.

He didn't even see it though, not when he shirt was nowhere to be seen and her shorts were undone and it became clear that Luffy certainly didn't waste time putting on underwear.

He barely registered the glare that both Ace and Zoro were now sending him, his mind in complete overdrive even as Zoro pulled a shirt over Luffy's head despite her protests, and how Ace slapped Zoro's hand away and pulled Luffy closer to him.

"Ace! Lemme go! It's fine! Zoro would never hurt me, y'know. Why can't you just accept him? You liked him before!"

"Before I found out he was taking advantage of you!"

"He wasn't taking advantage of me! What are you talking about?" Ace released Luffy with a put out look. She was glaring at him, quickly moving to Zoro's side and grabbing his hand. "I love Zoro!"

Sanji was barely aware of what he was hearing, and he was already aware of a steady stream of blood dripping down his face. He had, at this moment, the oddest sense of deja vu.

Still looking between the four people in front of him, he looked dazed for a few moments before everything blacked out once again.

xxx

When Sanji woke, he could barely remember what had happened the night before. It was weird. He never had problems with his memories before he had met Luffy-chwan, but all of a sudden... This was the second time he had trouble recalling the night before. Perhaps, he thought, he should talk to Chopper about it. He would know, after all.

As he was preparing breakfast, Luffy belted towards him and an image of shirtless Luffy popped into his mind. He paused what he was doing, his eyes following his captain before he shook it out of his head. He really shouldn't be thinking things like that about his wonderful Captain.

Especially not while her brother was still around, at least.


	9. Monster

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chapter Warnings: It's Chopper so it's pretty innocent!

Chopper used to hate the title "monster".

_Monster. ___

_Monster. ___

_Monster. ___

___The word echoed through his mind, through his thoughts, through his memories like a deadly poison. The first time he recalled the word being shouted after him from the humans was a dark place in the corner of his mind. He didn't belong, and the shouts that followed him through the snowy days and fear filled nights only proved it._ _ _

__

___The Doctor had given him a home, given him love, but it had not erased the painful memories. Nothing could wipe his mind of the rejection he faced so many times. From his family, and eventually from the humans._ _ _

__

___The Doctor allowed him to redefine the meaning of the word "family". The Doctor, along with Doctorine, allowed him to create new memories, happy memories._ _ _

__

___The word still haunted him, but it was pushed away, to the back of his thoughts. No matter how he argued with Doctor, he never once felt like the monster people had accused him of being when he was with Hiluluk. And how could he? The Doctor treated him like a son, going through such troubles to make sure he was happy, that he was comfortable, that he was loved. It was a feeling Chopper really didn't understand until he met him._ _ _

__

___And as soon as it had started, it came to a crippling end._ _ _

__

___For a long time, he was completely unable to recover from the loss off his father. The word haunted him again, returning from the shadows of his mind with a malicious bite he ha never felt before. No longer was the word filled with fear from an unnamed human, but instead... In his mind, his own voice, filled with anger and betrayal, shouted the word at him._ _ _

__

___It took him a long time to recover from this depression. Kureha's distractions helped, and slowly, the words became a distant echo in the back of his mind. Never forgotten, but easier to push aside._ _ _

__

___Then she had arrived._ _ _

__

___Doctorine and Doctor had created family for him, but he had never really understand friendship until his encountered her._ _ _

__

___She was a strange one, even for a human. Her skin was rubbery, unlike any human he had ever tended to before. Her eyes were bright with passion and light and a will he couldn't imagine. She, who had scaled the steep drop of the icy mountain without any hesitation. She, who had reached the top, doing what no human had dared before. She, who bowed her head and pleaded for her friends to be saved. She, who showed him what friendship truly was for the first time._ _ _

__

___He wouldn't lie. He was more than a little bit jealous of the two she had dragged up the slope. She had gone through such lengths to ensure their safety..._ _ _

__

___Chopper watched the three as they slept, taking care of them as Kureha focused her attention on the feverish girl. He had never expected what was going to happen once the weird human woke up though._ _ _

__

___Monster, she had called him upon learning he could speak. He had come to a halting stop, the word hitting him like a ton of bricks. He had gotten angry immediately but..._ _ _

__

___When he thought about it later, he found himself repeating the word. He mimicked the way she said it, and the word was not as heavy as usual. No, it was light, curious, almost... excited._ _ _

__

___It was then that he decided humans were stupidly difficult to understand and that he should stop trying beyond a medical perspective._ _ _

__

___And yet he found himself sucked up into their adventure, found him calling the girl who puzzled him so "captain" or, dare he say "friend"._ _ _

__

___Only a few days aboard their ship and yet... He still found himself confused by the lady-pirate. Sometimes, as he slept, the cursed word echoed in his dreams before suddenly being drowned out by her voice. Sometimes, though... he still woke in the night as he remembered other times, before her. Before Doctor even..._ _ _

__

___Like now. Chopper had woken suddenly, finding himself panting and his heart racing. It wasn't a feeling foreign to him, but it was uncomfortable nonetheless._ _ _

__

___"Luffy, really? Again?"_ _ _

__

___Zoro's voice took him off guard. Slowly, he turned towards where the voice had drifted from. Zoro had claimed the couch after first watch. But to Chopper's surprise, he wasn't the only one on the couch. In the darkness, Chopper could make out two human bodies._ _ _

__

___"I had a bad dream! Lemme sleep here!"_ _ _

__

___"Nami already got angry at you for sneaking over here last night!" Zoro said, but it really didn't sound as though he were complaining. If anything, he sounded slightly amused by her insistence._ _ _

__

___Luffy shifted in Zoro's lap restlessly until she seemed comfortable. At one point, she elbowed the swordsman and caused him to yelp out loud. At the sight and sound, Chopper forgot all about his nightmare and couldn't help the giggle that escaped. He instantly clamped his hooves over his mouth, but it was too late._ _ _

__

___He ducked into his hammock, expecting to get in trouble for spying but instead... One of Luffy's rubbery limbs suddenly caught him by surprise and he was sent flying into their little pile. The suddenness managed to knock the breath out of both Chopper and Zoro, but Luffy kept laughing through the entire ordeal. He somehow found himself joining them, fitting right in with the two on the couch._ _ _

__

___"Were you having trouble sleeping? Nightmares?" Luffy asked, after her laughter eventually calmed down. Chopper bristled slightly at the question. Luffy seemed to notice and frowned. "It's okay if you were. We all do!"_ _ _

__

___Zoro chuckled, a deep sound that was almost comforting. He reached out and pulled Luffy's cheek, releasing it and letting it snap back in place. "Even this monster has nightmares."_ _ _

__

___"You're a monster too," She pouted back at him before Chopper could get a word in edgewise. Zoro grinned, and to his surprise, Luffy shifted and kissed him softly. "But Zoro helps my nightmares!"_ _ _

__

___Chopper still didn't quite understand how humans worked, nor would he ever. He didn't know why people did certain actions, and what he was seeing was still something foreign to him. But what wasn't hard to see or understand was the complete love and dedication the two pirates held for each other._ _ _

__

___Chopper grinned, saying nothing as the two pirates bantered and eventually drifted off to sleep. Chopper followed shortly, smiling as he curled closer to his friend and Captain._ _ _

__

___Perhaps being a monster wasn't so bad, he thought, if it meant being able to protect the people you loved._ _ _

__


	10. To Protect

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: Robin. Which means this could go two ways. It went the clean way. Generally.

It started as a means of protection.

That was it and that was all, or so she told herself.

Robin never expected to be so freely integrated into the crew. After everything she had put them through as Crocodile's partner, she never once imagined that they would accept her so freely.

Well, perhaps that wasn't the right wording. Amongst the small crew, she could easily pick out the ones that distrusted her.

The cook was perhaps the most accepting above Luffy herself. Whether that be because of his loyalty to the captain or his love for women, she wasn't sure. Perhaps a mixture of both. While his reaction was rather absurd, it was not unwelcome. Even just the small actions made her feel more welcome even though she felt as though she had forced herself into the crew.

Nami quickly came to accept her after the pile of jewels was neatly emptied into the navigators hands. It quickly became something more than buying Nami over. Nami, through sitting quietly on the deck together, to the almost sisterly interactions between the two girls, found herself drawn in by Robin and grew fond of her. Robin herself felt something she had never felt before for the girl.

The feeling extended to the entire crew.

Robin could not quite pinpoint what exactly the feeling was at first. All she knew was her chest grew heavy at the thought of leaving the crew, the very thought of losing these people became a stinging pain that manifested itself inside of her. It would not be until later when she was willingly taken by the Cipher Pol 9 members that she could name the feeling.

Love. She loved the crew, with all - if not more - of her heart.

Before she realized this, however, the traces could easily be seen her her entire being. From the way she smiled, the way she relaxed among her nakama, the protectiveness...

And yet, there were those that didn't trust her. She didn't blame them. She had gone from enemy to ally, as unlikely as it seemed. She hadn't been with them long enough for them to decide whether or not they trusted her, but all went along with the Captain. That is, all except one.

Of course, when you have eyes and ears everywhere, nothing was truly sacred. Although, on a ship so small, it was doubtful that many secrets could be kept for long.

Robin generally gave the Captain and First Mate the privacy they deserved. They had enough to deal with, what with Sanji's eccentric behaviour around the lady-pirate, Chopper's "random" medical check ups, Usopp's constant distractions, and Nami's threats.

Still, sometimes she it lifted her heart to see them together. It was obvious how much the two loved each other. Zoro was not one to hold his emotions out for everyone to see. It was in this way that he was in stark contrast from his lover. With each other and only each other, however, it was as if they had become completely different people.

Robin had noticed this a while ago whilst watching the two, but curiosity had brought her back to her peeking.

The two were in the men's quarters, empty except for the two naked pirates who were currently sprawled against each other on the couch. Nothing even mildly sexual was taking place, instead they just basked in each other's presence.

"Your hair is tickling me, Zoro!" Luffy laughed, but she made no move to push away the man who was currently laying with his face buried in her shoulder. Her hands were on his back, tracing each line, each scar with a softness not usually exhibited by the captain. Zoro pulled back, looking at her somewhat sleepily before smiling.

His eyes were light, filled with love and admiration for the woman currently underneath him. Lazily, he reached up and brushed her hair back, before kissing her deeply. The captain responded with equivalent enthusiasm, whining loudly when he broke away.

"Luffy," the swordsman started, not looking up to meet her eyes, but instead finding a small scar on Luffy's shoulder that was hardly noticeable. Probably had to have happened sometime during her childhood, before eating the gum-gum fruit. Luffy frowned at his tone, her hands pausing and resting against his back as he leaned down and lightly kissed the scar.

"Yeah?" She asked, a hint of uncharacteristic worry in her voice as she looked at him.

"Why'd you let her stay?"

Robin realized at this moment that she probably didn't want to hear or see anymore. Not only was this an extremely intimate voice, but she was quite sure she didn't want to hear the answer to that question. Something kept her there, though, frozen as she watched and heard the scene play out.

"Robin?" Luffy's voice held something that seemed like relief, as if she was expecting something else entirely. Zoro did not take the answer as well, letting out a somewhat irritated sigh.

"She's dangerous, Luffy. She worked for Crocodile, she's an enemy."

Robin flinched at the word. She was not expecting Luffy's answer, however.

"No, she's not. Not anymore at least," Luffy argued, sitting up and forcing her lover up with her. "Robin hasn't tried to hurt any of us. Besides, she saved me twice back in Alabasta. She's our nakama now and won't hurt us!"

Robin felt her heart ache at that, remembering how easily she had deceived and lead various other pirate crews to their doom, all of which having the very same attitude. No. Robin shook her head, willing the thoughts from her head. This was different. The straw hats were not like the others. She wouldn't let that happen.

"I trust her and I won't let her go anywhere!" Luffy said, puffing out in Robin's defence. She wasn't angry at her first mate, but she was just as protective of Robin as she was of any crew member.

Zoro deflated visibly, knowing very well that he would not be winning this round against his Captain. "I don't like it."

"You didn't like Sanji either."

"Still don't."

"Shishishi!" Luffy's previous demeanour slipped away as if it had never happened. "You'll warm up to her!"

Zoro didn't even have a chance to argue when Luffy tackled him in a deep kiss, pushing him down onto the couch. Robin let her ears and eyes disappear, smiling softly as she took a moment to process what she just heart.

She was happy, even knowing that Zoro more than distrusted her. She didn't blame him, what with her past. Even with that put aside, Luffy was his captain and lover. It was natural that he wanted to protect her.

Robin knew at that moment that she wanted to protect the captain - her captain - just as much.


	11. Rejoice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chapter Warnings: Conis. Cuteness. Yeah? Conis and Wiper, actually.

The entire island was rejoicing.

Through the music and dancing and food and drink, enemies and friends alike were drawn together, celebrating their new found freedom. The fire itself seemed as happy as those who danced around it, the flames rising and falling with the sound of the drums.

The smell of smoke and food was thick in the air and the group of people didn't want it any other way. Despite fighting each other for the land only hours prior, Skypeians and Guerillas alike now shouted and sang, passed food from one to the other and shared in the drink.

"It's a miracle he hasn't woken up yet..."

Conis' attention was drawn to her father, who stared at the party with a small smile on his face. She smiled softly, before her eyes drifted back to the injured warrior.

"Go for a bit, get some food," she urged him. "I'll be fine here."

He looked hesitant at leaving her alone with the the fighter, but the doctor was nearby and they both should get some food before the rubber captain decided to devour it all. After he left, Conis sat alone and watched the festivities with peace in her heart. She was happy. No longer was she scared, or even uncomfortable with the strangers that had been enemies for so long.

A few minutes past, and Conis heard shuffling from beside her. The warrior was waking up. Instantly, the doctor was at the man's side, making sure he was okay as the warrior forced himself into a sitting position.

Conis turned to him, a look of concern on her face. Wiper didn't seem to appreciate recieving a Skypeian's concern and turned away from her. Barely conscious, fighting had become so ingrained in the man that he bristled as though prepared for a fight.

"Drums? Are we in battle?" Wiper asked, throwing his legs over the side of the makeshift bed and attempting to stand. No one tried to stop him, knowing it was futile, but Conis stepped in.

"War... war is the last thing from anyones mind right now," she told him, her heart pounding as she faced the man, scared of his reaction. He, of course, ignored her.

"The girl is right, Wiper," the doctor added as Wiper's eyes finally rested on the group of partying people. Although seemingly unfazed, Conis could clearly see the confusion in his eyes. "You can see that. We don't need to fight anymore."

The man paused, before his face hardened completely. Conis was well aware of his thoughts. He was confused, unbelieving. Surely, after centuries of war and hate between them, there was no way they could come together so easily...

He turned sharply before either could process what the man was doing, and took off running in the opposite direction of the bonfire. He dodged through the greenery without even looking back. Not thinking clearly, but concerned for the man, Conis took off after him. He was still injured and needed time to heal. Running through the woods would do him no good.

The doctor shouted after her but she paid him no heed. Completely dedicated to catching up with the fighter, which was proving harder than she imagined, she ignored the angry foliage as it whipped her legs and caught her braids.

The man was injured and despite the adrenaline running through him, he didn't manage to get far. It wasn't surprising, considering how he had almost died. When she found him, he was leaning against a tree. His eyes were closed and he was breathing hard. As she approached - slowly, ever so slowly - his eyes cracked open, giving her a glare that would deter anyone else.

"I know you're confused," Conis said softly, stopping only a few feet away from the fighter. He was tensed, ready to jump and fight should she come closer. "But we... we really don't want to fight anymore! We've fought for too long over something foolish. Now... now we don't have to and we don't want to! It'll be hard to... hard to get used to, but we aren't so different! Both of us were affected by the war, both of us lost our homes... And the golden bell rang! We can be at peace now!"

Wiper didn't say anything in reply, though he seemed to relax a bit. Most likely because he was so injured and being on guard only stressed his body more, but Conis was still grateful.

"You need to rest," Conis said, going into an almost doctor-like mode. "And here isn't going to cut it."

The glare was back, but the venom seemed lacking compared to previous glares. He allowed her to step forward, and couldn't exactly protest when she helped him to his feet and began to lead him back to the doctors.. He hated it, but he was to injured to get himself back to the doctors able hands.

Conis chatted idly beside him, telling him of the events that happened after he passed out. The Straw Hats had come together, along with the Shandora and Skypeians. After breaking into the priests' food storage, the feast had begun. The bell had long stopped ringing, echoing through the air, but the emotions it drew from all parties remained.

They soon arrived back at the doctor, who met them outside with a glare at the warriors direction. Wiper simply ignored it, walking past him and the building and instead aimed for the party. Almost instantly, a mug filled to the brim with grog was shoved into his hand. He turned, only to see the dark haired captain from the Blue Sea dwelling pirates.

It seemed she had pried it from her first mate's hands, and he cast her an annoyed look. Both were injured, though not as much as him, and yet the captain had more than enough energy... Conis joined him at his side, smiling at the two pirates with fondness that Wiper didn't understand. The two were nothing but trouble, even if the captain did save them in the end.

"Dance with me!" Wiper could hear the captain begging the swordsman over the loud music. The swordsman looked like he'd rather be anywhere else, but it seemed he didn't have much of a choice. Luffy had already wound her rubbery arms around his neck, clinging to him. With a grumble, his hands were around her waist. She took it from there with a laugh, spinning around wildly and dragging him along around the fire. It was demand after demand, and for some reason, the first mate put up with it.

"Spin me!" Zoro complied. "Again, again!"

Wiper was getting dizzy just watched, but the captain seemed completely unfazed as she giggled. As the song being played came to and end, they had gone around the entire circle and ended up in front of Wiper and Conis once again.

"Thanks for holding this, warrior guy!" Luffy grinned, grabbing the untouched drink in Wiper's hand. He felt a tick of anger. Conis simply giggled beside him. The Captain pulled the swordsman into a deep kiss, before pulling away and shoving the mug into his hands. Then she was off for the food table, shouting behind her, "Thanks for the dance, Zoro!"

Wiper looked from the shocked Conis, to the slightly irked swordsman, to the feasting captain. What... Then, Conis smiled softly, shaking her head.

"I should have known," she muttered, before turning away to search for her father. "Take a break and relax, Wiper. It's a time to rejoice!"


	12. Family

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chapter Warnings: Surprisingly not bad for Franky...

Family was, without a doubt, the most important thing to Franky.

So, when he returned home to his precious brothers and sisters, he was horrified at what he saw. He swore vengeance on those that harmed them. As soon as he had gotten any answer out of his recovering family, he took off for the heartless bastards who had the audacity to hurt his family. It was something he couldn't - something he wouldn't - let pass, although the enemy was clearly a force to be reckoned with.

He had not expected the cute little girl to be the perpetuator. She was a tiny thing, looked almost fragile. He was quite positive that even Mozu and Kiwi could handle a fight better than her.

Oh, how wrong he was.

He later remembered his earlier perceptions of the girl as he watched her stand tall. Above him, a certain flag burst into angry, dangerous flames. He glanced at Robin, seeing the tears in her eyes as she cried and cried.

"I want to live!"

He had watched the entire thing, seen the female captain, still small and tiny like an ant in this world of powerful people, grin. And he had understood.

For family, there was no limit to the extent she would go. For any member of her crew, Luffy would sail and conquer any sea, fight any enemy, no matter how outmatched she was... Like now.

But she kept getting up, always getting up, as though her body were not already passed it's limit a hundred times over.

But she pulled it off and saved them all.

Of course, the days of sleeping and eating (at the same time!) that followed... It wasn't a bad price to pay. She had walked away and was able to recover, something many others would have been unable to do in the same circumstances.

It was then he decided he wanted build her the dreamboat. If anyone deserved it, it was someone who valued family just as much as him, if not more. The next few days were spent jumping back and forth between building the dream ship and visiting the pirates. With the marines swarming the area, he tended to avoid the latter as much as possible. The night before they set sail however, he had no such reserves. Everyone was in a good mood, not at all surprisingly, but... something was off.

Franky soon learnt what it was. Despite the fact the loud music, the great drinks and the distinct aroma of cooking meat, something was missing. Judging by the fact that the meat remained on the giant platters, Franky quickly came to the conclusion that it was most definitely the captain who was missing.

At one point later in the evening, the she-captain emerged from the the building, wrapped in a blanket (possibly nothing else, Franky's thoughts drifted) and looking positively dishevelled. Franky watched as the girl wandered over to the table, emptied at least three trays of food into her rubbery mouth, before collecting as much as she could into her arms. On her way back inside, she paused before grabbing as many bottles of sake she could fit into her arms.

Not seeing her as the drinking type, Franky grew curious. Breaking away from the party, ignoring the protests of his sisters and brothers, Franky made his way for the building. It was easy for his disappearance to go unnoticed in such a loud and big crowd and he wasn't questioned.

He slipped out of the crowd. Luffy was far from hard to find, leaving a steady trail of crumbs and sauce in her wake. The trail ended at the room the Straw Hats had temporarily claimed. The hole that Garp made was still present, though somewhat fixed. It was, however, still big enough to Luffy to slip though.

Franky stood, back pressed against the wall as he listened. He didn't mean too eavesdrop, really. He just wanted to see what Luffy was doing.

"I brought sake!" Luffy exclaimed. Her words came out muffled, and Franky imagined her face stuffed with more food than should be possible. He wasn't sure who she was talking to, but he heard a grunt of thanks that followed her words.

The captain wasn't exactly quiet as she chowed down on the food she had hoarded away. Whoever was with her was extremely tolerant as he downed the sake she had thoughtfully brought back.

Unable to contain his curiosity, he shifted to peek around the corner.

The straw hatted captain, Franky learnt, had only been wearing the blanket. Tucked away from the eyes of the party goers and her grandfather, she had already carelessly discarded it. Franky found his eyes wandering, completely focused on the lady captain. She had already finished everything she had hoarded and was now licking whatever traces remained from her fingers.

It was only when she moved that Franky remembered the second person. For a moment, she looked as though she were walking towards him and he dodged out of sight. Instead, she dropped on the couch. The movement was greeted with a grumble, but not exactly of protest. It was more appreciative than anything else. Figuring it was safe, Franky peeked around the corner.

Hey, everyone already knew he was a pervert.

He caught a glance of green hair. So, it was the first mate, huh? Lucky guy.

Luffy clambered into his lap with a wide smile on her face.

"You pulled some stupid shit back at Enies Lobby," the first mate reprimanded her. His voice was steady and hard, like a parent lecturing a child, but also brimming with worry. The captain only laughed and kissed him deeply in return. He responded, his hands tightening on her hips as she knotted her hands in his hair.

Franky realized with a start that the swordsman himself was naked. He was probably part of the reason for Luffy's dishevelled state.

Luffy moaned loudly, shifting in Zoro's lap as the man broke away to kiss along Luffy's neck.

Or all of it, Franky thought in almost jealousy.

Zoro broke away after only a few minutes, looking accusingly at Luffy. "I'm not joking, Luffy. You need to be more careful."

"I'm fine though, aren't I?" She asked, seeming more than ready to drop the topic. Luck was not on her side, however. The swordsman wasn't having any of that.

"I can't stop asking you to take risks but... be more careful, Luffy... none of us would be able to take it if something happened to you." Franky could understand where he was coming from. Not only had he almost lost his captain, but also his best friend and lover. He couldn't simply pretend it hadn't happened.

The captain herself frowned, as though she had never thought about this before. And. in all honesty, she probably hadn't. She didn't seem the type to sit back and think about things reasonably.

"If something happened to me?" She paused for a moment, before bursting into laughter. "You guys... would be able to manage without me." The swordsman's eyes seemed to sharpen, glaring at the girl. Her laughter stopped as soon as she saw it and instead she frowned. "Zoro?"

"How could you even say that?" He snapped, causing the girl to jump slightly. "God damn it, Luffy. How can you even think that? After everything we've been through, how do you think we'd make it a day without you?"

Franky, ever the emotional one, felt tears prick at his eyes. How could he not when such touching words left the mouth of one usually so aloof to everything around him? He rubbed at his eyes, trying to avoid crying. That would most definitely get him caught.

"Zoro, I-"

"Fuck, how do you think I'd make it a day?"

Luffy looked puzzled. Just as she was to the crew, Zoro was a pillar of strength to her. It was obvious she had not considered that something as simple as her death could send Zoro to this... She would be the same should anything happen to her nakama, of course, but that was different. She was the captain, it was her duty to protect them. Not the other way around.

Luffy sighed, leaning over and pressing a kiss against his lips. He didn't seem anymore pleased and she nuzzled her face into the crook of his neck, a small pout on her lips. A few moments passed before she muttered an apology. It was muffled by his shoulder and followed by a quick, "I love you."

Zoro let out a gruff grunt, running his fingers through Luffy's hair and taking a deep drink of sake. Franky supposed it was the swordsman's way of returning the sentiment. Luffy laughed lightly, the previous atmosphere disappearing in an instant.

"I won't leave you ever, Zoro," she murmured. "You're my family."

At this point, Franky was getting ready to run off, knowing he wouldn't be able to hold in the tears. At her last words, Franky couldn't help it and took off, bawling his eyes out the entire way.

Man, even if they weren't his, this family was just SUPER.


	13. Precious

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chapter Warnings: GARPS GONNA KILL THE POOR KID

Garp loved his granddaughter, he really did.

She was his little girl. He had Dragon, and Sabo and Ace were as good as family to him, but she was his only baby girl.

He still remembered the first moment he laid eyes on her.

She was less than a year old. Swaddled tightly in blue cloth, she looked up at him with innocent curiosity. There were no tears, just wide eyes staring at the man she had never seen before. He felt his heart ache for the child instantly, knowing how difficult life would be for his precious, precious granddaughter.

No matter how much he wished she didn't, she grew up. Soon she was up and waddling around, testing her legs in the great big world. She babbled too, all the time. Very little was actually coherent, but he could make out certain words.

Her first world was 'sea'. He felt his heart break further.

Garp had always read to her before bed when he had time. He was careful to leave out anything about the ocean, pirates, and even marines. If she could live a normal life, he would have been happy.

A little after she turned three, Luffy had left his side while they were going shopping at the market. Garp had, rightfully, panicked.

Garp remembered finding the child on the coast, staring out at the ocean as a large ship passed by, the Jolly Roger blaring out at him.

"Grandpapa," Luffy said, the words still thick with her babyish way of speaking. Her eyes, wide with wonder, shifted from the ship on the horizon to her grandpa. "Sea is big?"

Garp knelt down before Luffy, feeling his heart ache with each word. He couldn't lie to her, but only prepare he for the world, no matter how young she is.

"Yes, Luffy, it is. But it's also very, very dangerous."

Luffy cocked her head. She still didn't understand this concept, Garp reasoned with himself. Though if she followed in his son's footsteps, she never would. The thought almost made him laugh.

"Dangewos?"

"Yes," Garp said, reaching and putting a hand on her shoulder. "Very dangerous."

The idea of danger didn't seem to sway the girl. He wasn't really surprised. She was just like her father, really. The thought worried him as much as it sent a rush of pride through him. That night when they returned home, Garp told Luffy she would grow up to be a good marine.

Of course she wouldn't listen. To this day, he still blamed Red Hair.

"I was doing all of those things out of love!" Garp yelled at the ungrateful little brat as she held her throbbing head. And he really had. His baby girl had grown up, just like her father before her. She had become a strong child, alienated by the other children. Garp had known he couldn't put it off for long. So he trained her. Living a peaceful life was all he wanted for her. Being a marine, protected from the government by the government was good enough for him. He couldn't stand to lose her, even as the sea called to her and adventure seemed to stick itself to her. "When I threw you in a bottomless ravine, left you in the jungle over night and sent you into the sky with balloons... I was doing it so you could be a good marine!"

The girl pouted, and he knew that look too well. It wouldn't work on him anymore though! "I never wanted to be a marine, gramps!"

Garp almost winced, remembering before that cursed Shanks had appeared, Luffy hadn't minded the idea in the least. She had been excited, wanted to be, 'Just like Gramps!'

The 'touching' reunion passed with only a bit of roughness. His daughter was happy to see Coby again, despite not recognizing him, and despite meeting as enemies... Garp was happy to see his granddaughter again.

She had grown up, and Garp wasn't oblivious to the changes. She was still the carefree, silly and loveable child she had always been. The will within her burned stronger than ever before, however. Garp didn't doubt that was due to the comrades she had discovered, the adventures they shared and the desire to protect each of them.

The morning before both parties were due to leave, Garp returned to finish patching up the wall. Damned crew still refused to do it alone, so he showed up bright and early to help finish it. He walked up, arms full of wood. What he saw caused all of it to fall out of his arms.

On the couch in the room - completely open to peering eyes - Luffy curled into her swordsman's side. There was a blanket slung over their bodies lazily. Garp saw red.

"WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING TO MY GRAND DAUGHTER? GET YOUR HANDS OFF OF HER, PIRATE HUNTER."

Both of them were awake after the first word. Zoro looked up with dawning horror and an almost 'not again' look. Luffy just looked up sleepily, having had a rude awakening like this more than once. Not quite in this situation before, though.

"Ne? Grandpa? What are you doing here?" Luffy asked, rubbing her eyes tiredly as Zoro looked at her incredulously. "It's too early..."

Garp raised a hand, fist clenched and shaking in complete fury. And for once, it wasn't directed at Luffy, something that puzzled her as she gazed at her Grandpa.

"GOD DAMNED PIRATE HUNTER! IDIOT GRAND DAUGHTER! GET DRESSED!"

For once, both listened without question. The two scrambled with their clothes. Garp ignored the way the Luffy's first mate pulled her shirt over the sleepy girl's head as she barely processed what was going on. When both were proper once more, they looked around blankly. Zoro looked as though making a run for it was high on the list of possible options at this given moment at time.

Garp gave them both a strict glare and Luffy seemed to realize the gravity of the situation. Gramps was really upset, though she really didn't know why. For many moments, there was just a tense silence before Garp barked out,

"I expect to be invited to the wedding."

It was not what either of them were expecting, and Zoro turned red as Luffy cocked her head, "Wedding? We aren't getting married."

Garp's eyes narrowed on her and she gulped as a chill spread down her back. "If you're going to be doing anything like that, you damn well are getting married." Luffy looked at her grandfather wide-eyed. He continued, "And I expect great grandchildren. I'll turn them into good marines."

Zoro choked on air as he heard Garp's words, while Luffy jumped forward with her hands balled in fists.

"We'll get married if we wanna," she shouted at the marine, "I ain't doing anything because you tell me too!"

"It's improper for a young lady to do these things without being married!"

"I'm a pirate, do you really think I'm gonna listen to that bullshit reasoning? I can do what I want!"

"Don't disrespect your grandfather like that!"

As Zoro forced himself to breath, the two continued to bicker. That was... an unexpected twist of events he hadn't imagined possible.

As the rest of the crew arrived, the fight seemed to dwindle into more of a stare down with insults thrown between them.

Later, he found himself chasing his granddaughter. The reunion had been nice, but now he had to remember his job. He was a marine and she a pirate. It was his duty to hunt her.

Still, when he saw her cry, invite the sniper back to her crew, and then laugh and smile... Garp smiled. Enemies or not, he was glad she was happy.

She was, after all, still his precious baby girl.


End file.
